On Wednesday, Customs officials arrested two individuals, including Shiv Kumar Prasad, the personal assistant to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, in connection with a gold smuggling case at Delhi airport. Prasad, who holds an aerodrome entry permit, was apprehended along with a passenger arriving from Dubai when the latter attempted to hand over approximately 500 grams of gold to Prasad. The incident is currently under investigation, with sources revealing that Prasad entered the airport premises to receive the gold packet when he was detained.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticized both the Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) following the detention of Tharoor’s aide. Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar took to social media to comment on the incident, highlighting previous allegations of gold smuggling involving a Chief Minister’s secretary. Chandrasekhar’s post pointed out the connection between the Congress, CPI(M), and the gold smuggling activities, dubbing them an “alliance of gold smugglers.”
Responding to the incident, Shashi Tharoor, who was in Dharamshala for campaigning, distanced himself from the allegations. He expressed his shock upon learning about the involvement of his former staff member, who had been offering part-time airport facilitation assistance. Tharoor emphasized that the individual in question is a 72-year-old retiree undergoing frequent dialysis and was employed on compassionate grounds. He stated that he does not condone any illegal activities and fully supports the authorities in their investigation, insisting that the law should take its course.
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